


Marimo Flambé

by Gotsims1



Category: One Piece
Genre: F/M, Fighting, Other, Post-Time-Skip, Thousand Sunny - Freeform, zorobin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-30
Updated: 2018-05-08
Packaged: 2019-04-30 06:22:42
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,569
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14490762
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gotsims1/pseuds/Gotsims1
Summary: Sanji finds out his beloved raven haired crewmate has entered a committed relationship secretly behind his back.Only, to make matters worse. Her choice of partner is greatly upsetting. Prepare to immerse yourself in...”AN ORDEAL OF LOVE!! ♫ ----------- ♫ The Ladies’ Man’s Greatest Trial!”





	1. Intervention

It would have been a day like any other on the Thousand Sunny. Afloat on the vastness of the seas. Seagulls drifting through an azure sky above. Waves gently rocking against the ship’s hull. Not a disturbance to be found aside from the odd fish splash. Most of the straw hats were going about their business… Until they weren't. Yes, it would have been absolutely unremarkable… If one Cat Burglar Nami hadn’t set off an inevitable chain reaction on that day that would change the nature of the group’s interactions for the rest of time…

 

The red haired woman marched, pulling on Usopp’s ear as he wailed.

 

Franky, Robin, Chopper, Luffy and Brook walked a few meters after them.

 

 ”Wait!! Stop! NO!”

 

She spun and grabbed his arm firmly on account of his hopping out of her prior grip.

 

”I just caught a bad case of the –Can’t-confront-swordsman-itis---I’ll go get a doctor’s notice!”

 

”Chopper!” He exclaimed.

 

She clutched and pulled his overall mercilessly.

 

”…CHOPPaA-A_a-Ahha ahah!”

 

A tiny sweet voice responded. ”Usopp? Is everything okay?” The sniper held onto the hall entrance for dear life as Nami pulled on him. The others blankly watched the display.

 

”He’s fine!! Besides, you all agreed to this during our meeting earlier!”

 

Usopp’s fingers slipped off the doorframe one by one. ”True as that may be…” He fell to the wooden floor.

 

Brushed himself off and was standing upright again.

 

 ”I DIDN’T THINK THE DAY WOULD COME SO SOON!”

 

He tried one last time to sprint away, but Robin blocked the way with a swarm of Hana Hana hands.

 

She attempted to comfort the man whose escape she had just foiled. ”Nami’s right, the sooner we execute this… The less extreme the aftermath.”

 

”I DON’T NEED YOU USING THE WORD EXECUTE RIGHT NOW!”

 

Robin snickered.

 

”YOU KNOW IT’S THREE VERY DANGEROUS INDIVIDUALS WE’RE TALKING ABOUT HERE.”

 

”Ahahahah.” She smiled sweetly. ”I’m flattered, but remember. I’ll keep you from harm, Sniper-san. Besides, it’s unlikely you’ll be caught in the crossfire. This confrontation will most likely, only lead to violence between Sanji and Zoro.”

 

”That’s the whole problem.” He mumbled in defeat and began sluggishly walking with the other Mugiwara members.  ”You know the amount of collateral damage that could mean.”

 

Franky adjusted his sunglasses. "Don't worry about the ship. When I said I was making a vessel fit for the future pirate king... It wasn't just a figure of speech."

 

He added: "Even if she takes massive damage. I've got several emergency strategies for saving her."

 

Brook contributed additionally: "Usopp-san... Might I add that while Sanji and Zoro may be tempermental, they've little interest in damaging their own ship. Assuming they can control themselves enough to only target one another, the rest of us should be okay."

 

Nami glared at Usopp. ”If we don’t handle this today it’s not ONLY going to drive me crazy with stress!” She raised her voice further. ”IT’LL PROBABLY SURFACE AT THE MOST INCONVENIENT TIME POSSIBLE! Like in the middle of an important mission. Jeopardizing everybody’s safety and success!”

 

”What the hell are you yelling in here for?” A gruff and irritated voice shouted from the aquarium area. 

 

”AHAHA. ZORO!” Didn’t see you there. Usopp wheezed.

 

”You need a rag for that cold sweat?” He responded blankly. The one-eyed man rested with one leg crossed over the other. Leaning back against his own arms folded behind his head. The blue tank water reflecting across his face gently.

 

As the entourage followed Nami and Usopp into the room he followed up his rhetorical question with genuine curiosity.

”Why is everybody in here?”

 

Before Nami could utter her rehearsed introduction Brook cut her off. ”Zoro-san. As badly as I want to ask about her panties right now, we have, nearly all of us… Become aware of the nature of your current relationship to our beautiful archeologist. We’ve been wanting to have a talk with you.”

The usually stoic man’s face contorted in a pale shock that was promptly followed by bright red flush.

Before he could say anything Robin pushed her way in between Brook and Nami, looking at him gently. ”It was bound to happen eventually.” The others tried to figure out exactly what her ambiguous remark meant.

Robin proceeded by sitting down next to him decisively in solidarity. 

The moment of silence was broken by a Franky adding.”Whatever freaky stuff you guys get down to doing in your freetime, is suuUuUPERRRRR PO-RRRAI-VE-TO. Although, let me know if you want additional company. OW!!”

Robin chuckled.

”Secrets don’t last long around here, do they?” the crimson faced green-clad man uttered.

”Robin!! Zoro!! I’M SO HAPPY!” Chopper screamed with tears gushing down his face as he contemplated the idea of two people he looked up to immensely, spending the rest of their life together.

Luffy was laughing hysterically.

He leant against Chopper and yelled. ”I’ve never seen Zoro this red before!”

Zoro shot up and grabbed him by the collar. ”Oi…”

Nami interjected once more: ”It’s great that you and Robin are so close, but we didn’t just come down here to gossip about intimate relations. We need a careful plan of action, because I assume you both know what this means when Sanji-kun hears about th—”

 

 

”When I hear about what? Nami-san?”

 

 

There was a thud as Zoro dropped Luffy to the ground. Followed by dead silence.

 

Sanji’s back-lit silhouette waited curiously in the room entrance.


	2. Suspension

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The situation escalates as Sanji has a truth bomb dropped on him.

Sanji’s form remained obscured, forcing the dramatic silence into exceptional tension. A few seconds went by as he walked a few slow strides into the light. Hands resting in his pockets, his face expectant.

”It must be pretty important, for the entire crew to gather spontaneously in one place.”

Zoro straightened out his stance and replied by walking a few steps toward his friend who held a consistently high spot on his shitlist.

 

”I guess it can’t be helped.” The swordsman placed his hands on his hips with an inhale. His flush subsiding into complete, battle-ready mindfulness.

 

 

”Listen well, Love-Cook.”

 

 

He paused, glare still set intently on the suit-clad form in the shadowy entrance.

 

”Nico Robin…”

 

“…Is no longer a single woman.”

 

Sanji’s hands remained in his pockets as he leaned forward in disgust.

”No you listen, asshole! Why the _hell_ should I believe something like that, coming from someone like _YOU_?!”

 

Sanji collected himself as his face softened somewhat.

”Robin-chwan…”

 

He looked over at the amazon-like queen still seated on the sofa. A note of concern laced his voice.

”Is this bozo telling the truth?”

 

 

 

All the heads in the room turned to her.

 

Utter silence, save for the slight noise of water sloshing in the giant aquarium behind her. She looked back at Sanji. Responded simply, blankly… With one word that she knew would put an unfortunate crack in the sweet-talking blonde’s heart.

 

…

 

”Yes.”

 

…

   
Sanji remained still.

 

 

“Then tell me…”

 

 

“What manner of Casanova has beaten me to your heart…”

 

 

Zoro’s prior embarrassment had completely evaporated. Not missing a beat, the corner of his mouth lifted into an arrogant smirk as he responded menacingly:

“That would be the man you just called a bozo _._ ”

 

Subsequently, the spectators of the scene jumped in unison as the next man to speak was standing in their own ranks.

 

”HEY!” Luffy yelled.

 

He shot a serious look at Zoro. ”A long time ago, you guys said to me and Usopp that fighting won’t solve anything.”

Then at Sanji. ”You were both right. So take your own advice!”

“Whatever is going on... You had better not kill each other.”

He followed up with the particular, thunderous shout. A war cry everyone knew he only employs in dire situations. One that reached even the seagulls, flying all those stories above the Sunny.

 

”THAT’S AN ORDER FROM YOUR CAPTAIN!!!!”

 

Zoro had not moved a centimeter. As opposed to Sanji, whose face went from blank shock to a contorted look of fury, his frantic hand fumbling in his pocket. The moment he found the pack, he pulled out a cigarette and placed it shaking in his downward-curled mouth.

Zoro fought with all his energy not to roll his eyes at the display, the chef lit the cigarette hectically and breathed two lungs full.

 

“We can’t do this down here.” He exhaled a huge exasperated cloud.

 

“At least we can agree on that much.” Zoro growled.

 

Sanji turned swiftly and began walking toward the stairs, his cigarette smoke trailing behind him along with a few words.

 

“You and me marimo. Main deck.”

 

The man with the curled brow stomped upstairs like a man possessed. “RIGHT NOW!!!!”

 

“You don’t scare me. TURD COOK!!”

 

Zoro followed, the other nakama behind him. Robin sighing at the young men's familiarly immature style of interaction.


	3. Stags Butt Heads

As everyone filed onto the main deck Usopp and Chopper made a point of flanking the person they believed was a safe zone… Namely Nico Robin. She’d pondered countless ways to stop the cook and warrior in the past, but always arrived at the same conclusion…

_Best to let them get it out of their system._

Beside the fact that she knew the chivalrous duo too well to even attempt some sort of armistice… -- _Once Sanji and Zoro start with this they’re like moving train with no brakes._ —She couldn’t shake the insight that she was getting a little bit of a kick out of two spry men getting so competitive over her attention.

Chopper looked up with concern at his willowy guardian. He had just clasped his medicine bag shut after an equipment check. ”Robin…”

She smiled warmly at him and crouched down to his level carefully.       

"I've been trying to figure it out… But, I still don't understand. Why is Sanji so upset that you like spending time with Zoro? He can also still interact with you when he wants! Right?"

Robin grew an extra arm out on the wall and scratched behind his ear and the tiny deer squealed with delight.

”That’s a very good question, doctor.” She pondered a few seconds.

”I suppose he’s upset that I won’t be spending time with him in the _way_ he wants.” Chopper accepted this answer. Then he nodded sternly, becoming reabsorbed by the impending duel in front of him.

Sanji’s cigarette, a butt already as it fell to the floor --was being crushed extra aggressively beneath his polished leather shoe.

Zoro tied his black bandana expertly around his head, pressing it into his spiked green locks, and proceeded to unsheathe two of his swords.

 

Sanji was having none of it.

“Nitoryu?? “You prick!! Don’t patronize me.”

 

“You’re right, I’m sorry.” Zoro said, as he positioned himself into combat stance. Luffy and Usopp tilted heads in confusion with narrowed eyes from afar.

 

“Your hypno-spiral eyebrow looks pretty effective. Maybe I _will_ need the third sword, in case you try to kick my face while I fall asleep.”

 

“We both know you don’t need a hypno-spiral to fall asleep at any given time, you unmown _lawn._ ”

 

A particularly large wave rocked the hull of the Sunny with a splat. The crew steadied itself in response to the unexpected jolt. Nami pondered the anomaly. _The waves look pretty still… No signs of a strong wind…_ Her face hardened slightly and her eyes darted, reassessing the entire horizon and sky. _This doesn’t make any sense._

“I’m ready when you are.” Zoro shouted.

“Prepare to be grilled thoroughly.” Sanji yelled back.

The disgraced cook was done waiting. A sprint and a loud SWISH later, Zoro found himself blocking a raining barrage of furious

 

**“COLLIER FRITES!!!”.**

 

The onslaught of lightning-like attacks flew unpleasantly close to his body as employed a combination of blocks and dodges to the best of his ability, all while maintaining regular breath. He had already flown back a few steps from the momentum, but his form was as solid as ever.

 

Zoro snarled as he sidestepped around the Baratie-legend. “My turn..”

 

A loud clink filled the air, but he made very little use of his blades, which were turned outward rather than inward. The katana wielder replied with a new and improvised move.

**“San…Toryu…”**

**“KOKU SURAMU!”**

 

Oni Giri was out of the question. As was any use of his blade edges for cutting purposes.

 

”… YOU SWEATY GREEN… **BAAASTARD** …”

Sanji leapt several meters into the air, extending one leg against his chest.

“If you can cut a hopeful man’s heart out without remorse, surely a few gashes in him is no problem for you!”

**“MOUTON… SHOT!”**

He went straight for Zoro’s head. His sweeping leg repeated kicks so lightfast you could barely even see it move back up toward his torso. Zoro made use of the tops of his hands, still grabbing his sword handles hard, to punch back against the momentum at equal speed. When the cook landed back on the floor, kenshi-san’s knuckles were bleeding.

“Oh no!” Chopper opened his bag to pick up a band aid roll, but realized solemnly his work would never be greenlit until the whole calamity was declared over, dropping the neat fabric back to the top of his case. Robin and Usopp had seated themselves next to him on a step leading to the ship’s helm.

Brook stood on the opposite side of the deck next to the resident cyborg. The skeleton had produced a cup of black tea from only god knows where and when, and was already engaged in the business of sipping it politely.

Zoro and Sanji continued bombarding each other with rehearsed moves.

 “Oh, Robin! I got so excited to watch the fight. I meant to ask…” Chopper looked at her.

She turned to face what she internally knew was her adoptive child.

“… You said Sanji wanted to spend time with you in a specific way. What did you mean by that?”

Her pupils shrank in horror. “Oh…” This time Robin turned scarlet, completely forgetting about the combat transpiring a stone’s throw away from her.

 Chopper pressed the question further. “Is this about reproduction?”

 

She looked at the tiny creature in shock. Then a hint of anger.

 

“Chopper. Who taught you that word?!”

 

His face dropped suddenly, worried he had offended her. “I’m a trained physician…”

 

It took a second for her to absorb. She smiled unconvincingly while mentally crossing “Stern talk with Franky” off of her to-do-list.

“I apologize… I forget that sometimes.”

Chopper smiled warmly at her, then watched Zoro perform a blunt force Karasuma Gari on airborne Sanji “If this is a human mating ritual, then I… understand!!”

His wholesome features lit up with triumph. “Adult Reindeer males fight over females too! Investing so much resource, time and energy in reproduction makes the female’s approval hard to win, and they’ll actively compete with each other for it! I know Sanji and Zoro don’t get along much day-to-day either, but this seems serious… So maybe that’s why this is a big deal!”

 “That’s a fair comparison.” Robin rested her rosy face in her hand. Not daring to add anything else to the conversation.

“I hope you know that if you decide to have children, you can come to me with any medical conce-AUH!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH”

A massive shadow made its way across the scene, until it covered the majority of the Thousand Sunny. Usopp stuttered, Nami screamed, everyone was staring at the same thing. The Straw Hats faced the largest sea-king they had encountered to date. Towering over them like an unwelcome neighbor dropping in for a visit.

 _Guess that explains that._ Nami thought in horror, still managing to be truly peeved at the irony of the day.

 

**“AWESOoOOoOAHaAhaOME!!!!!”** Luffy flung his rubber arm out, caught onto its spike and was flying through the air onto the beast. 

“ZORO! SANJI-KUN! Could you maybe _TRY_ WORKING TOGETHER _NOW_?” Nami hollered over the thick gusts of air produced by the leviathan while she ran to her station.

The ancient creature frowned at the visitor on its face. “HEY GUYS! THE VIEW UP HERE IS AMAZING!!”

Sanji and Zoro ignored him, occupied by the mission of staring each other down. They roared at one another in chorus.

“I DON’T NEED YOUR HELP.”

The brainmatch did nothing for their tempers.

**“ JUST STAY OUT OF MY WAY GOD DAMN IT!”**


	4. Sanji... MESHI!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The thrilling conclusion to a violent sparring session.

Sanji and Zoro sprinted, leaping simultaneously off the ship's edge and onto the back of the beast.

Before Zoro could slash it, the creature had dived into the sea with great force, forcing him and Sanji to hold onto its bony appendages. Luffy had thankfully bounced back to the ship, he was still beaming.

 **"HoooOoooOo! That was close!"** He exclaimed, tilting his treasured straw hat.

Sanji and Zoro held their breath, as they endured the wettest rollercoaster of their lifetime.

The massive and serpentine sea king resurfaced, sporting two significantly more drenched competitors. It followed up with an attempt to take a bite out of the Sunny. Sanji, still dripping with saltwater responded with a massive blow aimed at its head. The sea-king flailed, sending enormous splats in every direction but still not able to rid itself of the humans persistently thrashing it and holding onto its body.

"Franky!" The Navigator barked.

"Already on it." He initiated the coup de burst they needed to avoid being flipped over by the beast.

Time to end this ugly thing. Zoro muttered, doing his best not to slip, he was eager to finally use his blades to draw some blood for a change. A powerful HYAKUHACHI POUND HO! Later, the water around the beast sported a dancing red cloud.

"Oi Marimo! Did you just KILL the thing?"

"Nah, that would be heartless. And too easy.”

"As opposed to this…" Sanji said judgingly, then hopped back into the sea to swim back to the Sunny.

The bandana clad party did the same.

Maybe… Maybe this isn't the end of everything. Sanji contemplated as he climbed back on the main deck. His crewmates were watching the Sea King, still eyeing them carefully from a distance and at them with contempt. It accepted that this ship was not going to be its late lunch. Zoro and his katana made it back onboard right as it dove away again.

“I've never seen a monster look so annoyed before.” Usopp narrowed his eyes while he mumbled under his breath.

The cook picked the conversation back up.

"If I promise to stop calling you names…"

Zoro was panting from exertion, he produced an attentive albeit still annoyed look at Sanji.

Will you leave Robin-chwan alone?"

**“LIKE HELL! WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU!"**

Robin couldn't resist chuckling affectionately in the distance.

Her sensual voice only seemed to rub the saltwater deeper into Sanji's figurative wound, so went for Zoro's flanks, but wound up with a throbbing blow to his mid-section.

He bent over in pain…

**"BAsTARRRRDD!"**

He threw a successful kick, soggier than previous ones, at Zoro's outer thigh. The swordsman, in his exhaustion could not angle his sword well enough in time to dodge Sanji. He did manage to nick Sanji's trouser leg however, leaving a red slit in the man's calf.

"What if we split her affection?" Sanji struggled to breathe properly, shit… the blow earlier must've hit my lung. He winced.

 **"Split her af- ? HOW MUCH SEA-WATER DID YOU JUST GULP DOWN? GIVE IT UP ALREADY.."** Zoro roared.

Sanji fell to his knees, his tears pouring waterfalls.

AFTER THE LIVING HELL OF DEFENDING MY GENDER FOR TWO YEARS…"

Shaking, he lifted his head.

**ROBIN-CHWAN ? WITH AH….. WITH … I… WITH…."**

His eyes were glassy with shock and exhaustion.

**“This idiot Marimo... Ha—HasHas a girlfriend… Before me…"**

He slammed his fist into the floorboards of the ship repeatedly. " **THIS HAS TO BE A BAD DREAM."** Sanji hunched over, resembling a desolate man deep in prayer.

**UHUHULHUHLUHUH huh-HAaaaAaaAAAhH"**

"Are you sobbing?" Usopp, Luffy and Nami asked blankly, in chorus.

After a second Sanji lifted himself off the ground slowly… Corpselike in demeanor.

His glistening cheeks snapped straight into a frown.

**“THESE ARE TEARS OF RAGE!"**

He leapt into the air one more time.

**“FLAAAAAAMBAGE… SHOT"**

He warmed up a hot whirlwind serving of Diable Jamble on the spot. His body a flaming tornado by the time he leapt at the swordsman. Sanji's mentioned so-called fury exploded into his legs, causing them to turn bright orange as he spun performing a combo kick.

Zoro's defenses had once more been insufficient, he received several hot servings of foot to the chest, one burning smack to the cheek, and fell backwards. Collective concern spread across the other straw-hats as Sanji was readying another attack. Luckily Zoro managed to roll away and get back on his feet before getting trampled. Sanji lit yet another cigarette.

Sporting his light burns as motivation, Zoro hadn't given up yet. He was only getting more miffed.

"Actually…" Sanji said.

"This is my own fault." The cook was significantly calmer, as if he'd deposited all his frustration in the blows he dealt earlier.

His back was turned to Zoro, who was not letting his guard down. Roughly two years ago he would have been seething. Before Mihawk drilling the importance of emotional control into his head, he would have lunged right at his opponent.

Instead, did his best to calm down and focus. If nothing else, his companions would have evidence of his personal growth before them. Most significantly, Robin would have evidence.

"I should've known there was something going on…" Sanji spun around to stare Roronoa in the face and walk toward him slowly.

"Maybe this isn't obvious to a narcoleptic caveman such as yourself!"

"But when the flower of a woman's spirit is caught in the whirlwind of love, she undergoes subtle spiritual~~~ and ~~~ PHYSICAL~~~CHANGES!"

He performed a swirly dance towards the object of his affection.

**"'~~ROBIN-CHWANNnN, I KNEW YOU'D BEEN LOOKING EXTRA BEAUTIFUL LATELYyy~~"**

"Oi..." Zoro called out.

Sanji whipped around, switching over from amour toujours to a frown.

Mr. Santoryu was smiling, but to call his expression a well-intentioned one would be inaccurate. He raised his voice through the pain of a battered chest.

"That's my girlfriend you're flirting with."

Sanji fell against the nearest wall, sliding down it in resignation like a bizarre, oversized house cat. Once he reached the ground, he turned over, leaned against the ship’s wall, head bobbing upwards with his brow furrowed and eyes closed.

After a few moments of complete silence, Sanji managed to respond.

"…I."

"I guess…"

He looked about ready to cough blood.

"I GUESS YOU'RE RIGHT."

Sanji shook with exhaustion, spirit wilting as he attempted to get up. Then he actually coughed up blood.

"That still….

"Doesn't mean…"

He was raising his voice again.

"I'm going…. To let y-"

Zoro was tensing up, expecting another attack.

Before Sanji had straightened out completely Robin took a few loud steps from the sidelines into the center of the invisible fighting arena, between her man and his opponent. Her shiny high heels clacking a stop to the whole affair.

She looked sternly at Sanji for a second, then at Zoro.

**“GENTLEMEN."**

Robin frowned. Visibly angry, but as always she remained dignified about it.

 **”Enough."** She sharply added

Both of the boys stared in disbelief, pupils shrinking on the spot in genuine fear from her keeping direct eye contact as she spoke to them.

"Zoro."

"Mm."

"At this point, you are hurting Sanji more than is necessary.

This is not behavior befitting the world's greatest swordsman."

A small noise of indignation escaped Roronoa, mostly because he knew she was right. Satisfaction crept onto Sanji's face but disappeared promptly as she looked over at him again.

"Sanji."

She took a deep breath.

"Zoro is rough around the edges, and his manners fail him sometimes. It's true…"

"…But you know as well as I do. That he is an incredible man!"

She shut her eyes.

"So…"

"…Whether you like it or not,"

Her hands tensed into knuckles at her sides, as passion took hold of her and she cried out:

**”I CARE A LOT ABOUT HIM!"**

The recently mentioned man thought carefully for a moment, then did the extraordinary.

Brook's jaw dropped onto the floor.

Pirate Hunter Roronoa Zoro, the most fearsome swordfighter of the new world… Sheathed his swords in the presence of his opponent. Then pulled the sheathes out of his haramaki, tossing the cases to the side of himself without so much as a flinch.

He followed this action up with a steady walk toward the woman before him, and stationed himself next to her with as much poise as one can manage after having their entire form beaten and worked out for the duration that he just had. His frowning self paused in thought for a split second, before suddenly and firmly grabbing her hand.

Inhaled, then spoke loudly and clearly.

"I'm finished, if he is."

Sanji pulled out a fresh cigarette and lit it, far more calmly this time. He took a self-medicating breath of tobacco. The pair in front of him waiting patiently with their hands still intertwined.

"Robin-chan."

He exhaled the cigarette fumes out of his nostrils, avoiding the two standing in front of him.

"I respect your decision."

He inhaled some clean air.

"Furthermore…"

"… I may never understand how this farce occured… And while I certainly won't be happy that a lady as magnificent as yourself is saddled with this…"

Zoro frowned harder.

"This man." He settled for man… Not wanting to upset Robin.

"I can see on your face how much this means to you. I would be a pretty shitty guy to get in the way of that."

He looked at his beloved lady and lit up. "Your happiness is more important to me than my pride and jealousy…"

"After all…"

**"THAT IS WHAT IT IS… TO BE….."**

He followed up with a dramatic pose.

**~*･ﾟA TRUE! LADIEEEEEEEEEEES MAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNN!" ･ﾟ*~**

Robin's full warmth returned to her upon the statement, upon seeing her happy, Zoro's face softened further as well.

Chopper ran over, bandaids held in his hand-hoofs as they wiggled in the breeze. "ZORO! SANJI!" He cried eagerly. "I CAN FINALLY FIX YOU UP!" They went on to insist, covered in bruises and blood that they were fine.

Luffy was happily seated on a rail. He produced one of his many noises of enthusiasm then followed up with a "Sanji! I'm hungry!" for good measure.

"Ahh, I love a happy ending to an intense emotional storm." Brook sniffed. "The blossoms of peace, grown in adversity, are the most beautiful. Would you not agree, Franky-san?"

The half-robot was taking a long swig of cola. Wiped his mouth with a content "Ahhhhh".

He then responded. "That was quite a show… No mistake about it. Not a boring moment on this ship…" He struck a pose and added the phrase "Llllllllllove it!".

Usopp breathed a deeply relieved sigh and Nami ran over and hugged Robin. Her dramatizing face pressing into the tall woman's shoulder.

"THANK YOU!" She cried "I thought they were going to keep their idiotic stunts up for eternityyyyugh.

Robin's response was a warm chuckle as Nami ran off to scold Luffy who was making a run toward the newly opened pantry.

The infamous Devil of Ohara threw a mischievous glance at the man rumored to be a demon in human form. He looked back at her with a tiny trace of a smile.

"Girlfriend huh?" She teased.

"After this nonsense… You'd better believe it."


End file.
